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Conducting an Interview/Transcript
Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby The sound of a typewriter is heard as issues of The Robot Paper appear on screen. The first headline reads, "Shocking! Tim Interviews C-3PO," and shows a picture of a boy, Tim, with the robot C-3PO. Another headline reads, "Tim Sits Down with Data," and shows an image of Tim with Star Trek's android officer, Data. The third headline reads, "Little Jimmy Tells All About Life, Love, and Beeping" and shows Tim with a robot, Little Jimmy. A boy, Tim, is sitting at a desk in a newspaper office and typing on a typewriter. He is wearing overalls and a fedora hat with the word "press" written on it. A robot, Moby, wearing a blonde toupee and carrying a small spiral pad, walks by his desk. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, if it isn't cub reporter Moby Olsen. What can I do for you, friend? MOBY: Beep. TIM: You want to know how I get all these swell interviews with famous robots? MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, pull up a chair and I'll show you the ropes. Moby sits. TIM: First of all, interviews are a type of research, like reading an article or a book. An animation shows a boy with a notepad interviewing a fireman. TIM: The difference is, you do this kind of research by talking with someone. Since you're getting information straight from another person, interviews are primary sources. And they're original: instead of using the same references as everyone else, you'll be making your own. Heck, down the line, someone even might use your interview in their research. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Whether you're writing an essay for class or a front page scoop for the Daily Robot, the interview process is the same. First, you have to get your subject to agree to the interview. Whether you contact them by phone, email, or in person, be professional. Introduce yourself, and explain why you want the interview and how it will be used. An animation shows Little Jimmy the robot reading Tim's e-mail message. Tim explains that he is a reporter for the "Daily Robot." TIM: Once they've agreed to talk, you have to do a little background work. Learn as much as you can about your source. Tim points to a picture of himself with Little Jimmy. TIM: Take my interview with Little Jimmy. First, I dug into his background online. An animation shows Tim using a search engine. TIM: Then I read his biography, and a couple of magazine articles about him. Pretty soon, I had a much better sense of who he was. An image shows the biography and two robot magazines. MOBY: Beep. TIM: You got it, Jack: It helped me brainstorm some questions. Here, take a look at my notebook. Tim hands Moby his notebook. TIM: I had to ask interesting questions too, things that people care about, not just details about their favorite TV shows, you know? An image shows the questions he chose to ask Little Jimmy, like what was his childhood like, and what was his greatest success as an executive in his company. The first two questions on the list are crossed out. TIM: And those first two questions were rookie mistakes. Don't ask questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Start your questions with words like "how," "what," or "why." They'll prompt your source to give more detailed answers. Tim changes the first question on his list from "Do you like being a robot?" to, "What’s it like being a robot?" MOBY: Beep. TIM: You bet. I got a recording app, plus a pen and paper for taking notes. An image shows a pen, notepad, and the recording app on a smart phone. TIM: And I called Little Jimmy to set up a time when he wasn't too busy. An animation shows Tim talking on a phone. TIM: We also agreed on a good spot for the interview. You want a place that's quiet, and where the subject feels comfortable. That way, he's more likely to be honest and open up. Moby points to a watch on his wrist. MOBY: Beep. TIM: That's right, timeliness is key in this business, so I made sure to show up five minutes early. A watch shows it is five minutes to twelve. An animation shows Tim at Little Jimmy's house. LITTLE JIMMY: Beep. TIM: I asked if it was okay to record our conversation. An image shows Tim using the recording app on his smart phone to record the interview. TIM: I wasn't just being polite; you can't record someone without their say-so. And I took notes the old-fashioned way, just in case something went wrong. A split screen shows Tim writing on a notepad, and a crash alert that all data has been lost on his smartphone. TIM: Needless to say, I was courteous and friendly. I thanked Little for agreeing to see me, and complimented his lovely art collection. Tim is shown talking to Little Jimmy and looking at a piece of art in Little Jimmy's home. TIM: Asking Jimmy about his hobby was a great way to break the ice and get him relaxed and talking. You want an interview to be more like a conversation than a list of questions. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yep, some of those questions are going to be about sensitive topics, and you don't want to sound nosy or rude. That's why I always try to establish a friendly rapport, or connection, with my subject. I made eye contact and asked my questions clearly. An image shows Tim interviewing Little Jimmy. TIM: I made sure not to be nervous, confrontational, or robotic, though my source was a robot. Images illustrate the three things Tim says not to do. TIM: Even when I pressed Jimmy for details about his failed Senate run, our interview felt like a friendly chat. An image shows Tim being friendly with Little Jimmy. TIM: And sometimes, one of his answers inspired me to ask a question I hadn't thought of before. An image shows a light bulb going off in Tim's head. TIM: So I didn't get hung up on my precious list. Tim crumples up his list of questions and tosses them. TIM: I thought on my feet and I was ready to adjust my questions on the fly. And here's a tip to remember: keep your ears open. If I'd zoned out for even a few seconds, I might've missed a chance to ask Jimmy about something important, like his limited edition sneaker collection. An image shows Little Jimmy seated next to his sneaker collection. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yep, after getting the scoop, I knew I had a dynamite story. I thanked Little Jimmy for his time, and asked if I could contact him again with follow-up questions. An image shows Tim shaking Little Jimmy's hand, which looks like a wrench, and thanking him for the interview. TIM: Standard interview protocol. Finally, I sent him a thank-you card afterward. An image shows Tim's humorous thank-you card, "Thanks for letting me 'ox' you those questions!" The card has a picture of an ox on it. TIM: So, that's the straight dope on how I conduct my interviews. An excited Moby jumps up from sitting. MOBY: Beep. TIM: You're ready to conduct your own? All right then, go out there and do it. Dramatic music plays as another headline from The Robot Paper is shown: "Tim Tells All! The great interviewer reveals his secrets for everyone to know! An exclusive by Moby Olsen, Boy Reporter." TIM: Awww, raspberries.